The National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) is a membership association with over 1000 members. NACCE’s existence is based on the belief that community colleges are ideally positioned to further entrepreneurship due to their accessibility and local ties to the communities. NACCE helps community colleges nationwide link their traditional role of workforce development with entrepreneurial development by sharing innovative ideas and programs that advance economic growth and prosperity in the communities served by the colleges.

NACCE was created in 2002 to establish entrepreneurship education as a core offering through the community college system. Efforts at two-year schools range from traditional classroom courses in credit and non-credit entrepreneurship programs to offerings such as student business incubators, micro loan programs and venture capital funding to help aspiring entrepreneurs start businesses, and mentorship programs that match students with local entrepreneur role models.

The Coleman Foundation and NACCE entered into a three-year grant commitment. The grant funds are to establish and support organizational infrastructure intended to market services, grow membership, increase conference attendance, develop curriculum, conduct research on entrepreneurship education, and become a self-sustaining organization.

In support of the community college initiative, the Foundation funds programs such as the Entrepreneurial Pathway Community College Articulation Project. This three-year effort involves the Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at California State University Fresno and ten community colleges in identifying mechanisms to build knowledge and skills that lead to launching new businesses.

NACCE hosts an annual conference for community college administrators and educators. For more information about the organization, conference or membership, visit their website at www.nacce.com.